Band Lineup

Tropidelic x2 (Funk, Reggae, Rock)

“Every single second is a blessing if you count them all,” sings frontman Matthew Roads. You can hear the sincerity in his voice; the joie de vivre that oozes from everything Tropidelic does is apparent. When they take a stage, their synergy flows member to member—horns blow, knees kicked high and grins are passed from one man to the next. Almost immediately, it spreads to the crowd, lifting hands in the air as their feet begin to move. The pulse collectively becomes that of one.

The six-piece band from Cleveland, Ohio may be far from any tropical islands, but that doesn’t stop them from dishing out an interesting mix of reggae, hip-hop and high energy funk for audiences across the country. Tropidelic has a deep and widespread appreciation for music that can be heard in each note. Some of the members are hip-hop heads, while others are into metal, funk or reggae. Each of these genres lends something to their collective sound. “We pride ourselves in being original in our musicality and personality as a band,” says Roads, “but also in not taking ourselves so seriously that it ruins the fun.”

Bumpin Uglies(Ska, Punk, Reggae)

For nearly a decade now, Bumpin Uglies have been playing their brand of groove-heavy jams – a curiously fun mix of ska, Reggae and good ole’ punk rock – all while putting strong lyrics at the forefront of the music. It’s a formula that quickly took them from local favorites, playing around Annapolis, to a national stage. With a wildly infectious sound, tattoo-worthy lyrics and an itch to take their music to the masses, the band piled into the van years ago and have rarely seen home since.

Jon Wayne & The Pain (Reggae, Dub, Acoustic)

Electronic reggae-dub innovators, Jon Wayne and The Pain have been mesmerizing fans for nearly a decade, with their signature JWP cosmic-blend of electronic beats, fused with upbeat roots-reggae music and a psychedelic funk. The Twin Cities based ensemble burst onto the scene in 2007, following their debut self-titled album. Since then, they have been building a dedicated Midwest loyal-fan following through extensive touring, influential songwriting and multi-dimensional jamming.

Little Stranger (Alternative)

Born and raised in Philly and crash-landed in Charleston, John and Kevin Shields are the minds behind the quirky indie hip-hop group Little Stranger. Performing as a duo, Little Stranger is a fresh hybrid of John’s singer-songwriter magnetism and Kevin’s hard hitting, in-your-face delivery. Stylistically reminiscent of Gorillaz and Twenty One Pilots, Little Stranger inhabits a relatively unexplored niche at this point in time. They’re all about originality, every song is a separate work unto itself with all the strangeness that their name implies.

The Quasi Kings (Reggae)

Formed in Columbus, OH in Spring 2016, The Quasi Kings are quickly gaining momentum in the Ohio and Midwest reggae scenes. Their unique blend of roots reggae and modern styles puts an emphasis on songwriting and vocal harmonies and has lead to their opening for the likes of Badfish, Fortunate Youth, Passafire, The Expanders, Third World, GPGD, The Werks, Tropidelic, and more. With a high energy stage show and an ever growing performance schedule, 2019 looks to be a big year for The Quasi Kings.

Zach Fowler (Acoustic, Reggae, Pop)

Zach Fowler bought his first guitar at age 11 for $1.50 in pennies. Since then he has dazzled the masses with his smooth melodies and lyrics that speak truths. Hailing from Fort Mill, SC, Zach was always surrounded with music. Playing in several groups throughout high school gave Z.F. an opportunity to play shows for large crowds before even reaching the age of 18. His most notable groups from those years included Get 6, C4, Furious George & The Backwood Boys.

Zoo Trippin (Blues, Rock, Funk)

Trying to pigeonhole Zoo Trippin’ into one little genre box is an exercise in futility. They have an ever-evolving sound, although their groove is infused with a solid blues/funk flavor base. Comprised of Tony Casa (vocals), Lynn Roose III (lead guitar), Stephen Hatmaker (drums), Austin Smith (bass) and Drew Dimitrovski (guitar), Zoo Trippin’ will get your feet movin’ in no time. While the band is definitely high-energy, they have a tight sound that feeds off itself, the members of the band and the fans in attendance at their shows.

Rockstead (Reggae, Rock)

The feeling of love. The power of unity. The essence of happiness. The strength of togetherness and positive vibrations. The highs of living life and the lows of dealing with its obstacles. All of these things encapsulate the music of Cincinnati, OH-based Rockstead, a four-piece, passion driven rock/reggae group.

Anicent Elephant (Reggae, Rock)

An original band from northwest Ohio, blending rock, hip-hop, reggae and a large range of other influences to make you want to get up and dance.